Attack
by Ecilya
Summary: Vader is busy, and Luke has been begging for his father to spend some time with him. Vader decides to take some time to spend with his son and surprises Luke with an afternoon together. But unbeknownst to them, not everything is going to go as planned...


**Attack**

_by Ecilya_

**Summary: **Vader is very busy, and Luke has been begging for his father to spend some time with him. Vader decides to take some time to spend with his son, and surprises Luke with an afternoon together. But unbeknownst to them, not everything is going to go as planned…

**Characters: **Luke Skywalker/Darth Vader

**Genre: **Family

**Disclaimer: **Okay, here we go: Star Wars is owned by George Lucas, not me, and I did not and will not make any money by writing this fanfic. It is only for entertainment.

**Notes: **

This is part of a series of short stories:

#1: _Afraid of the Dark_

#2: _Exploring the Palace_

#3: _Attack_

If you haven't read the first two, you might want to, as this one follows directly after those. I'd appreciate reviewing! (but no flaming, please)

By the way, this story is completed.

Idea partially from some of SophieAnnWard's Luke/Vader fics.

* * *

><p><span>Attack<span>

The Coruscant sun was just beginning to crest the skyscrapers, but Lord Vader was already busy with his work. He had to get it done early if he was to take his son to the meeting of the Imperial Senate.

This decision had been settled upon after Vader had lived through three days of Luke's begging to spend time with him. That was when he chose to take Luke to the meeting, which was to be a surprise. Even Vader had to admit that he wanted to spend time with his son.

But now he was on his way to Luke's room to inform him of their afternoon activities before his last important order of business: a report to the Emperor.

He approached the door and pressed the release. The door opened to reveal Luke playing a game of chess with Artoo.

"Check!" Luke called at Artoo, who beeped indignantly. He looked up at Vader. "Hi, Father. I'm winning!"

"Indeed – I see. Son, how would you like to spend an afternoon with me? I believe you have wanted to for the past few days."

Instantly his eyes brightened. "I'd love to! When do we start?"

"After my meeting with Emperor Palpatine. We will be going to a session of the Senate and then anywhere else you wish to go."

"'Kay. I'll be waiting, Father!" Luke turned to Artoo. "Isn't this great, little guy?" Artoo whistled cheerfully and spun his dome.

Vader nearly smiled, but left before his son and the droid could have any more effect on him.

* * *

><p>The room was completely black; heavy drapes hung across the windows. In the middle of the room, up a flight of five stairs, was a small throne which was turned away from the Dark Lord.<p>

"Greetings, Lord Vader." said a nasally voice.

Vader bowed low.

The chair turned toward Vader. "Rise, my friend. there is an important matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Yes, master?"

"There is a child in the Imperial Palace. Your son, I believe."

A wave of shock passed momentarily through Vader.

"Do not be surprised, Lord Vader," Emperor Palpatine's voice was hard and cold. "And don't forget that my powers with the Force are strong."

Lord Vader instantly put up a mental block. "He will not be any trouble, my master." He begged the Force for his master to agree.

The Emperor narrowed his sickly yellow eyes. "Very well, Lord Vader. You may keep your son – _for now_. You are dismissed." The throne resumed its original position, facing the black curtains.

Vader exited quickly and sighed in relief when the doors to the Throne Room shut behind him.

At least he had caught the Emperor in a good mood.

* * *

><p>Luke's heart was racing.<em> A whole day with my father. <em>He rushed around the room trying to get ready, Artoo rolling in the wake, whistling frantically. He opened the closet to reveal hordes of black clothes hung therein. After choosing a black suit with matching black tie and black pants, Luke went to his dresser and picked out a pair of black shoes. He wanted to look really nice, going out with his father.

A buzz sounded at the door. "Come in!"

Commander TJ stood in the doorway. "You called for me, sir?"

"Call me Luke, TJ. We're friends, remember? After all, I helped you out of that situation with my father."

"I am very grateful for that, Luke. You saved my life."

Luke shrugged. "No problem. Any way, guess what?"

"Yes?"

"Father said we're going to spend all afternoon together! Isn't that great?"

TJ nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'd _love_ to spend all afternoon with Darth Vader." A comm. chip began beeping. "May I go, sir? I am needed in the hangar bay to meet Admiral Jarken. And have fun, with your father."

"Sure. Later, TJ."

The commander saluted and turned on his heel, exiting Luke's bedroom.

He was pulling on his left shoe with Artoo's help when Vader entered the room. "Are you ready to leave, Luke? The meeting starts in twenty minutes, and we have a ten minute flight to the Senate building."

"All right! Oh, could you help me get my shoe on? It's not fitting."

Vader was unsure of how to respond. Contrary to what he was thinking at the time, he knelt down in front of his son and pushed on his shoe. Luke jumped to his feet.

"All ready to go!"

Artoo chirped a farewell as Luke followed his father out of the room.

* * *

><p>"And if we don't keep a close eye on the Empire's finances, inflation is bound to happen!" Senator Chilon of Malastare was saying.<p>

Vader was listening to this argument closely when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He closed his eyes. "Yes, son?" His voice was constrained.

"I have to go."

"Again?" He turned toward his son.

Luke nodded urgently.

Inwardly, Vader sighed. "Very well, let's go."

They left Vader's private balcony and walked down the hall, heading for a very important locale. Luke hurried along a few steps ahead of his father, the importance of the situation urging him on. Suddenly he stopped and looked toward a window.

"Father, what's that?"

Vader followed his son's gaze and found himself staring at a round metal object barreling toward Senate building. "Explosives!" he shouted. "Luke, get down!"

An earsplitting shatter rang through Vader's mechanical hearing aid as he shoved his son at the floor. Screams echoed from the Senate meeting chamber as the building roof began to crumble. Vader Force held the debris for only a few seconds before even his Force powers weakened and he had to withdraw. From what the Force was giving him, he could sense waves of rolling fear coming from his son. He tried to hold on to Luke while great chunks of the building rained down on them. _You're all I have left of Padmé. I won't lose you, son._

He saw a portion of the building come flying toward them, and blackness descended over his vision.

* * *

><p>Luke cracked open his eyes. White, everything was white. This place looked just like the holograms TJ had shown him of the buildings on Kamino. He turned his head to see the entirety of the room; pain shot through his body. It was a medical bay, and his right arm was in a stiff sleeve. But where was – "Father? Father!" He called weakly. Boots clicking on the floor indicated someone had entered the room.<p>

"You took quite a beating, young Luke."

"Father?" Luke turned his head painfully to the location of the voice and saw a young brown–haired man in a gray coat standing over him.

"No, I'm Doctor Kolski. Lord Va– er, I mean your father, wasn't injured nearly as bad as you. He has been waiting for you to come around… I'll go get him."

A few seconds later, Luke heard the silver metal doors _whoosh _open and saw his father approach the side of the medical bed. "I didn't lose you," Vader was rumbling softly. "I knew I wouldn't."

Luke tried to open his eyes a little wider. "Father? Am I gonna die?"

"Not if I can help it." Vader replied, putting his hand on Luke's. Doctor Kolski entered the bay and headed for them.

"You're lucky to have come through that with only a broken right arm. I don't even know how you managed to survive." The doctor was saying. Luke felt something strange tingling in his spine. Somehow, his father had protected him. Somehow.

Vader glanced up at the doctor and Luke sensed he was giving the young man a stern glare. Doctor Kolski cleared his throat with apprehension and left the room. The Dark Lord sat on the edge of Luke's bed. "I sensed your fear today." He stated simply.

"I _was_ kinda scared."

"You don't need to be afraid," Vader comforted. "I won't let anything happen to you, my son."

Luke blinked his eyes in fatigue and rolled over toward his father. "Okay, Dad. Love you."

Once again, Vader found himself confronted with the statement. "Sleep well, little one." He gave Luke's blonde hair a gentle ruffle before leaving the bay.

* * *

><p>Luke was now back at the Imperial Palace; two days had passed since the incident at the Senate building. Vader felt he needed to speak with his son after a long argument with Admiral Jarken, the only Admiral in the entire Imperial Fleet who had the guts to oppose him. Vader knew Luke was resting in his room after a visit from Commander LJ–1076, his stormtrooper friend.<p>

When he entered, his son was snoring quietly, all sheets in a pile on the floor. _For five years old, he certainly does know how to dispose of the bedcovers. _Artoo was in a corner, sounding off comforting whistles. Whether this was for Luke's benefit or the droid's own, Vader was unsure. He was removing the covers from their resting place on the floor when Luke awoke.

"Hi, Father." Luke groaned as he rolled into a sitting position, helping his father restore the bedcovers to their rightful location.

Vader sat down on the bed. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yeah, my arm is feeling a little better. It still hurts, though. Oh, and TJ and I played a game of chess during his visit. I won!"

A light snort of pride escaped Vader's respirator. "That is quite interesting. Luke, there is an important matter I wish to discuss with you,"

"Okay."

"Now that you've gotten settled and used to the routine, don't you think it's time to start school?"

* * *

><p>The subject no one was asking for: school!<p>

But this isn't any ordinary kid going to school, it's _Luke Skywalker _(and, come to think of it, the school isn't so ordinary itself). So be sure to tune in next time for the fourth installment in my series of short stories.

Oh, and don't forget to check my profile for updates on the series.

Please review!

–Ecilya


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